Pages Unturned
by wyomingparmesan
Summary: Adrien is determined to get his father to read him a story at bedtime, but things don't turn out as he had planned. Oneshot. Thanks to my friend Adriana for the title!


**A/N: Hello again, everyone! It's been a bit hasn't it? Work usually takes most of my energy and then I just wanna relax on my off days. So, yeah. Still happy to at least be writing a bit though. Especially since I had a lot of people tell me they liked how I write Gabriel when I posted that baby Adrien story. That was also my inspiration for throwing this little story together.** **Enjoy!**

* * *

Adrien stood in front of the bookshelf, standing on his tip-toes as he reached for the book that caught his eye. Reaching his arm out as far as he could, his tongue stuck out of his mouth as he concentrated on grabbing his target. He felt his stubby fingers grace the book before it slipped from his grip once again.

He grunted in frustration as he stood up straight, crossing his arms across his chest.

"I will get you," he said, pointing up at the book in question. Looking around the room, he spotted his step stool in the bathroom.

Gliding his pajama covered feet across the carpet, he entered the bathroom to see his favorite step stool still placed in front of the sink. He stopped in front of it, reading the big red letters written across it.

"A…D…R…I…E…N…that spells…", he said, scratching his head, causing his blond hair to ruffle up. He remembered his mother teaching him that word recently and tried to sound out the letters. A toothy grin formed on his face as he finally remembered. "'Adrien!' Me!" He giggled at the sound of saying his own name.

Still giggling, he picked up the step stool and walked across the room, sitting it down in front of the bookshelf.

He stepped onto it and with a satisfied sigh, he reached up and managed to pull down the book he had spent the last few minutes trying so hard to grab. "Finally," he said quietly, bringing the book to his chest.

Stepping off of the step stool and back onto the carpet, Adrien contemplated his next destination. It was a place he had been to only a handful of times, due to its semi-forbidden nature. Still, the five year old knew that it was worth the try.

Taking a deep breath of confidence, he once again dragged his feet against the carpet. The small tingles of static electricity made his hair stick up slightly, which made him smile in delight.

His next obstacle wasn't as big as the first, since he had learned to open doorknobs at an early age. He jumped up and smacked the handle with his hand. The door clicked as it began to open slowly.

Adrien pushed it open further, opening his space up to the massive foyer in front of him. His eyes still opened in amazement everytime he glanced around the mansion he called his home.

The sleek tile floors beneath him gave his feet a different texture to feel upon exiting his room. He knew to be careful, though, as it could be very slick.

Luckily for him, his target was in viewing range. It was located on the other side of the stairs that led up to his room.

This is the part when Adrien always got caught, as he was hardly ever allowed to go down the stairs on his own. That didn't stop the little boy much though.

He took his book and stuffed it under his arm, walking towards the top of the stairs. Using his free hand to grab the railing, he put one foot down on the first step.

"You can do this," he said to himself, giving him a temporary boost of confidence. He put down his other foot down next to its partner.

Then he moved down to the next stair, and the next, and the next, until he felt his pajama cladded feet touch the marble floors once again.

Standing up straight, Adrien turned to his right. He eyed the door all the way on the other side of the room.

As he walked towards the door, he began to feel a small shiver go down his little spine. Something about that room felt so forbidden, as if entering it would have terrible consequences on the young child.

But Adrien had no fear. He looked up at the large double doors in front of him, their white paint shining in the dim moonlight coming in from the windows.

This was it, the moment he had been preparing for all day long. Using the same technique from earlier, he jumped to hit the handle of the door. As soon as he heard the click, he quickly grabbed the door.

He pulled it open ever so slightly, taking a quick peek inside. His eyes shined as they glanced around the bright, white room before him.

Adrien opened the door so that it was wide enough for him to step inside. His face lit up as he spotted his true target.

Not far inside the room stood his father. His back currently turned to him as he was leaning over a large book.

A flutter of excitement grew inside of Adrien at the sight of his father. He hardly got to see him on some days and so it often felt like a special treat to be in his presence.

Then came the small burst of nervousness inside of him as he waited. He brought his book up to his chest, wrapping both arms around it.

He could hear his father muttering quietly to himself, indicating that he was deep into his work. Adrien sighed.

The room was quiet enough that any small sound would indicate the presence of another person. "Huh?", Gabriel said, quickly turning around.

Adrien stepped back when he saw the spooked expression on his father's face. "H-Hi Daddy," he said in a small voice.

Gabriel sighed as well, wiped a bead of sweat off of his forehead. "Hello, Adrien," he said, walking closer to his son. "Please don't scare me like that again, and remember your manners."

"S-Sorry Da- I mean Father," Adrien responded. "I know Mama said that I shouldn't bother you, but I had a question."

"Your mother is right," Gabriel said, finally standing in front of Adrien. "You know I am very busy."

The boy nodded his head. "Yes, yes I know, Father," he said. "But it's _really_ important." He strung out his words as he stood up on his tip toes.

His father sighed, pushing his glasses up in his face. "Alright, what is it?", he asked.

Adrien smiled, bouncing excitedly. "It's getting time for me to go to bed," he said. "So can you read to me? Please?" He asked in his sweetest voice while holding his book out in front of him.

"No," Gabriel said, his voice flat.

The excited grin on Adrien's face quickly turned into a little frown. "B-But Daddy," he said, forgetting his formality. "Please?"

His father turned around, beginning to walk back to his workspace. "I said no, and that is final," he said. "You're a big boy now, you don't need a story."

Neither of them heard Emilie as she quietly slipped in behind Adrien.

"Yes I do!", he said, raising his voice slightly. "It helps me sleep."

His vision became blurry from the tears welling up in his eyes. Adrien was not one to throw fits, but this was one of those moments where throwing himself onto the ground would feel so good.

Before he could do so, though, he felt a familiar hand brushing the back of his hair.

"Adrien…", she said, getting down time his level. "What did I tell you about bothering your father?"

He turned around to look at her and tried to speak, but all that came out were small whimpers. His bottom lip quivered, and he felt his mother reach out to wipe tears from his cheek. "I-I'm sorry, Mama," he said, his voice high pitched. "I j-just wanted Daddy to read to m-me."

"Aww, it's okay mon petit chou," Emilie said, ruffling his hair. "Why don't we go back to your room and I'll read to you."

Adrien stepped back, gripping the book to his chest. "No!", he yelled, causing his mother to jump back a bit. Her face changed from one of sympathy to one of irritation. She noticed her husband turned back around to look at them as well.

This was unlike her son to raise his voice. She knew she shouldn't be so stern with him, unlike her husband usually was. "Adrien, watch your voice please," she said, raising her voice slightly. He was lucky it was her scolding him this time.

"You _always_ read to me," Adrien said, returning his voice to normal volume. "I want Daddy."

Emilie and her husband exchanged looks as he began to walk back towards them.

Adrien didn't give either of them time to respond as he kept going. "He never spends time with me," the small boy said. "I like spending time with you, Mama, but I never see Daddy."

He let the tears continue to roll down his cheeks as his mother pulled him into a hug, running her fingers through his hair. She and Gabriel looked at each other, with the latter having a small frown on his face.

She closed her eyes as she let her son cry into her shoulder. "It's okay, Adrien," she said. She stood up, still cradling him in her arms. "Come on, it's time for bed."

Before leaving the room, she gave Gabriel a glance as if to say 'we'll talk about this later'. He responded by looking down at the floor. The door shut behind them, leaving him alone to ponder his thoughts.

He knew Adrien meant well, but he always knew his work was very important. It was what provided them with everything they needed. Their house, their clothes, their food. A slight tinge of anger ran through him. Sometimes it seemed as though his son was a bit ungrateful. He had no idea how much he had put into making sure he had everything he could ever need and more.

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "What is wrong with you, Gabriel?", he asked himself. "Adrien is a child. He doesn't know any better."

'Someday, he'll truly understand,' he thought to himself. He turned back to what he was working on, trying to push those thoughts to the back of his mind.

* * *

Emilie closed the door to Gabriel's studio behind her. Adrien didn't hold onto her like he usually did. Instead, he had his arms tucked underneath him, the book still in his grip. He laid his head on her shoulder, turned away from her.

"Adrien," she called to him in a soft voice. He felt her hand caressing his back as she moved it up to his hair.

He responded to her by turning his head to look at her. With her hand still tangled up in his hair, she pushed him forward slightly to place a kiss on his forehead. He closed his eyes and yawned before using a hand to wipe his eyes.

"I think someone is sleepy," Emilie said, using a finger to poke his nose. She giggled at the slightly dazed expression he had on his face.

His mind became fuzzy as the feeling of drowsiness started to creep in. All of his determination and happiness gone to waste. The sadness within him was almost too much for the small boy. He couldn't wait for the day to be over.

As they began moving back towards the stairs leading up to his room, Nathalie stopped in front of them.

"Good evening, Nathalie," Emilie said, offering her a warm smile.

"Good evening, Miss Emilie, little Adrien," she responded, turning to them. "I was just about to make my way home, but something told me I should check up on you all."

Adrien whimpered, causing both his mother and Nathalie to look at him in concern.

"We're fine for now," Emilie told her. "Not so sure about this little guy, though."

"Was it Mr. Agreste again?", Nathalie asked, raising an eyebrow.

Emilie sighed. "Yes, yes it was," she said. "I don't understand why he's so stubborn sometimes, especially towards Adrien."

"You know as much as I do," Nathalie said. "I hope it all works out." She noticed Adrien looking at her, his lip pouting. "And I hope Mister Adrien feels better, too."

"He will be, I'll make sure of it," she said, placing a kiss on his hair. "Have a good night, Nathalie. See you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Emilie," she said. She leaned forward slightly and patted Adrien on the back. "I hope to see you smile for me tomorrow, okay?" He looked at her, a blank expression on his face.

"Tell her 'goodnight'", his mother said to him, holding one his hands in hers.

"Night night, Miss Nathalie," he said.

She smiled at the small boy. "Sweet dreams, Adrien," she said.

They watched her walk towards the front door, leaving silently as Emilie continued to walk towards her son's bedroom.

Adrien didn't remember much from that point. There was a slight breeze blowing through his hair as she carried him up the stairs. Next thing he knew, the familiar smells of his room filled his nose. Leaving him with a sense of comfort he so greatly desired in that moment.

Emilie pulled down the covers on his bed before gently laying him down. "There you go sweetie," she said softly.

He felt himself relax as his head hit the soft pillows. Looking up, he saw his mother standing above him, pulling the covers up over his chest. "Mama?", he said, his voice hoarse.

"What is it, mon chou?", she said, kneeling down next to him.

"I'm sorry," he said, his lip quivering again.

"Oh Adrien," she said, stroking his hair. "You don't have anything to be sorry for."

A puzzled look came upon his face. "I don't?", he asked. "Then…why did Daddy, get mad at me?"

Emilie bit her lip. "Your father is…a complicated man," she said, still unsure of her answer. "But, don't worry about it so much, okay?"

"Are you sure?", he asked, sitting up.

All she could do at that moment was admire her son for a bit. Even at the age of five, he acted so grown up. He was so curious about the world and everything about him. It wasn't surprising to her that he would choose to ask questions about these sorts of things.

She ran her hand through his blond curls once again. "Yes, I am sure," she said, reassuringly. "The only thing you need to worry about right now is looking for your book."

Adrien gasped, lifting his hands up. "My book!", he said. "It's gone!"

"You must've dropped it somewhere," his mother said, standing up. She scanned the room, seeing if the small object would catch her eye.

Sure enough, the small book had fallen close to the entrance. "There it is," she said, walking over to retrieve it.

"Yay!", Adrien exclaimed, clapping his hands. "Can you read to me now, please?"

She smiled. "Of course," she said. Walking back over to his bed, she then climbed in next to him. She propped herself up with one of the pillows, using another to prop her head up so that she was sitting up slightly.

Adrien scooted in closer to his mother, laying his head against her neck as he wrapped his arms around her arm.

She laid her head on top of his. "You ready?", she asked him, turning back to the book when he nodded his head. "'Once upon a time…'"

Minutes flew by as Emilie read the story out loud, pausing every now and then because Adrien wanted to look at the pictures. She would occasionally look over at him to see him chewing on his fingers, smiling as he listened to her speak.

As she neared the end of the story, she heard little snores in her ear. "'And they lived happily ever after'," she said, glancing down at the sleeping boy.

She gently pulled his arms away from her, sitting up once she had done so. She laid the book down on the nightstand.

Adrien turned over onto his back, stretching his arms out.

There was hardly ever a time that she didn't like to watch him while he slept. His small face with flushed cheeks was so soft and it seemed to change shape as he slept. His slightly curly blond hair became a mess as he rested on the pillows, causing a small tuft of hair to stick up in the back.

"Bonne nuit, mon petit Adrien," she said, kissing his forehead. He stirred a bit, turning his head more towards her.

She gave him one last look before standing up slowly as to not disturb him. Once she reached the door, she went to turn the doorknob.

It was already being turned from the other side.

The door opened to reveal her husband standing on the other side.

"Gabriel…", she said, looking up at him.

"Forgive me for how I acted earlier," he said, quietly. "I have come to see Adrien."

"He's asleep now," she said. "But I'm sure he wouldn't mind you visiting him for a bit."

He nodded.

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking past him.

Gabriel walked further into the room, looking over to his sleeping son. He smiled a little as he walked over to the bed. He sat on the other side of him, listening to the little snores escaping his mouth.

He reached out a hand and brushed the hair out of his little face. Adrien responded to his touch by moving his face towards his hand.

Gabriel watched as his son opened his eyes slightly, stretching as he did so. The man jumped back a bit, surprised by Adrien's awakening.

The boy yawned and wiped one of his eyes. "Daddy?", he asked, sleepily.

Gabriel smiled a bit, not feeling the need to correct him this time. "Yes, it's me," he said in a soft voice. "I didn't meant to wake you."

Adrien giggled, sitting up to give his father a hug. "It's okay, Father," he said, squeezing him as much as his tiny arms would allow.

Surprisingly, he hugged his son back, laying his head on top of his. "Adrien, I'm so sorry for earlier," he said.

Adrien leaned back to look up at him. "You are?", he asked.

His father nodded. "Of course I am," he said. "I may not have time to do things with you all the time, but I shouldn't have acted like that."

Adrien smiled, hugging him once again. "I feel better now," he said, laying his head on Gabriel's chest. "I love you, Daddy."

He hugged him back, placing a kiss on his hair. "I…love you too, Adrien," he said. They sat there for a few moments until the small boy let out a yawn. "You should go back to bed. I need to sleep as well."

His son pulled back and laid back down on his pillows. "Oh okay," he said. "Night night, Daddy."

Gabriel stood up and pulled the cover up to his neck. "Goodnight, Adrien." He watched as his eyelids flittered closed, snoring as he drifted off to sleep once again.

He made his way out of the bedroom, turning off the light and slowly shutting the door behind him. Unbeknownst to him, his wife had been standing outside the entire time.

"Emilie…", he said. "Have you been standing here the entire time?"

She nodded, stepping forward and throwing her arms around his neck. "Mhm," she said. "Thank you."

He raised an eyebrow. "For what?", he asked.

"For showing our son that you love him," she said. "That's all I could ever ask for."

They exchanged a kiss before taking one last peek inside. Adrien was still sound asleep, his face being illuminated by the nightlight next to his bed.

The parents stepped back out, closing the door gently behind them.

"He's perfect, isn't he?", she whispered to him.

"Yes," he whispered back. "Yes he is."

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**A/N: I may or may not have had a certain tweet by a certain Frenchman in mind when I wrote that last part, haha!**


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